Tear Into My Heart
by AngelOfLorien
Summary: PART 3 of SERIES: As the boys embark on another supernatural adventure, Tyler's courage, Reid's loyalty, Pogue's dedication, and Caleb's control is put to the test. -postmovie, no Sara-
1. Same Old Song and Dance

_Chase is dead, school's almost out, and Tyler's ascension approaches. As Tyler's anxiety builds, his nightmares are replaced by soothing dreams featuring the mysterious girl who has captured his attention. When a full-moon murder take the boys on yet another supernatural adventure, Tyler's courage, Reid's loyalties, Pogue's dedication, and Caleb's control are put to the test._

**Same Old Song and Dance**

_It's the same old story…_

"We've got three months until you move to Boston to go to Harvard, Mr. Big Shot. This summer had better freakin' rock it."

Reid Garwin threw a couple of pebbles off the roof of the dormitory and lightly kicked his friend Caleb in the leg.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"No," Caleb replied, not looking up from the stack of papers he was filling out. "Sorry, man. I gotta finish this paperwork."

"Yeah, yeah," Reid said, waving a hand in dismissal.

He sighed, looking over the campus that had been his home for the past five years. They had all been scrawny little 8th graders when they first arrived at Spenser. Now they were graduating and getting ready for college? What the hell?

"Where's Tyler?" Samantha McGovern asked.

Sam hadn't joined their little party until March of this year, but she was a full-fledged member of the group now. Aside from helping Caleb break a curse and rejoin his spirit with his body, she had some kick-ass skills in magic. She had been possessed or whatever by that douche bag, Chase, but even then she managed to help them get rid of him. Oh, and she and Pogue Parry had been going so steady it seemed like they had known each other for freakin' ever.

Reid turned to the girl and shrugged. "I dunno," he said. "Taking a nap maybe? He hasn't been sleeping much at night."

"He's still having nightmares?" Caleb asked, sitting up.

The blonde nodded, tucking his hands in his pockets.

Tyler was the last to ascend. The others had hit the big 18 and gotten their power influx, but even Reid had been keeping it kind of to himself. He had used freely when they were tweeners—ages 13 to 18—but the truth was, his new power terrified him. Regardless of what they said, deep down they were all scared shitless that they were gonna end up like their dads.

Reid shook himself off that trail of thought and looked at Caleb.

"You know how Tyler is, dude. His dad was the first to...He's just a little freaked, ya know?"

Pogue stepped forward and sat on the ledge next to where Reid was standing. He shook back his shoulder-length hair and squinted against the late-afternoon sun as he looked at Reid.

"How do you think he'll handle it?" Pogue asked. He saw Reid's brow furrow with concern before he shrugged.

"He'll be alright," Reid said, bending to tear a piece of paper out of his notebook and pop it into his mouth.

"Dude," Pogue said, but it was too late.

Reid had leaned over the side of the building and let the spitball fly, grinning like an idiot as it dotted the top of Martin Schultz's brand new black Charger.

"I'mona kick your ass, Garwin," Schultz called.

"Hey, you wish, man!"

Pogue looked at Caleb and they both shook their heads, knowing that it was no use trying to talk to Reid about anything that made him uncomfortable. He was worried for Tyler and they both knew it.

Tyler and Reid were close. As with any high school, kids talked about their friendship and tried to make it trashy, but the truth was that Reid felt responsible for Tyler; he followed Reid in just about everything. Reid needed Tyler in order to stay grounded. The two balanced each other out.

It was a bond that had been formed when they were little kids, and one that neither Pogue nor Caleb understood completely.

"So graduation is next week," Sam said, changing the subject. "What's doing? Anything celebratory?"

"I can think of a few things," Pogue said, tossing her a wolfish grin.

"Psh. Bitch, please," Reid said, giving Pogue's shoulder a good-natured shove. "Like Sam wants to get all cuddly with you when it is hot as balls outside. Summer sucks, man."

"I was thinking we could maybe go to Boston or something for the weekend," Sam said. "We could use some out-of-Ipswich party time."

"Maybe," Caleb said. "It depends on whether or not my mom has something planned."

"That's the thing with the well-off, baby," Reid said, stepping close to Sam. "They have boring parties for everything. I'm sure one of our moms will have something stuffy booked for us."

"Well, hell," Sam muttered, sinking onto the roof next to Caleb. "I need some poor friends. I never get invited to snazzy things."

"Consider this an open invitation to whatever boring crap we have to do," Caleb said with a smile.

"Hey, are you guys going to Nicky's tonight?" Reid asked suddenly.

"It's Friday, isn't it?" Pogue drawled. "What else are we supposed to do?"

Reid nodded and shrugged, then peeped back over the building.

"I'll catch up with you there," he said, walking toward the door that led to the stairs.

"Where're you going?" Pogue asked.

"No offense—not that you guys aren't delightful—but Kalista Rodriguez is wearing that red halter that makes me sweat."

"Dude, you're gonna get shut down," Caleb predicted with a laugh.

"I might get broke down, but this don't get shut down, true?"

Sam threw a pebble at the door as it swung shut. "You're incorrigible!" she called.

Reid stuck his head back through the door and grinned. "It's part of my charm," he said before heading downstairs.

-

Tyler was alone in the dark with nothing but the wind and the rain to keep him company. He knew he was dreaming, but exhaustion forced him to stay asleep.

There was an odor on the wind; something strong and pungent. The smell was blood—the blood of those of the four families that had been lost to the Power.

Tyler spun to look behind him as lightning split the sky. The faces of the others were visible shapes in the thick black fog that rolled toward them. Those who had fallen to the Power were coming for him.

His father led them.

He turned and started to run, but the fog wrapped around his legs and consumed him.

Tyler sat up in bed and ran a shaking hand over his face. His body was slick with sweat, though Reid had the thermostat in the room set to freezing.

With a vicious curse, he threw out his hand and everything on the desk across from him went flying through the air. Burying his hands in his dark hair, he breathed deep. When he had regained control, he swung his legs over the side of his bed and pulled a pair of cargo shorts over his boxers.

He saw the note from Reid tacked to the door.

_Going to hook up with K-Rod. Be at Nicky's tonight._

Tyler tossed the note down and ran his fingers through his hair. He had to get out for a while. He would go mad if he didn't.

Taking out his phone, he dialed Pogue's number.

"What's doing Baby Boy?"

"Nothin' much. Where you guys at?" Tyler asked.

"On the roof. Get your lazy butt up. We're making party plans for next weekend," Pogue said.

Tyler clipped his phone shut and grabbed a t-shirt, pulling it over his head as he started down the hall.


	2. Dream Lover

**Dream Lover**

_I need a dream lover, so I don't have to dream alone…_

Jamie Russell and Casey Casio stepped into the podunk tavern and looked around. Jamie had to tighten her grip on Casey's arm to keep her from bolting. With a scowl, Casey picked a chair near the pool tables and sat down as Jamie went to the bar to order them some food.

Casey let her eyes wander around the room. There were tons of people in the place—strike one against it. Being that it was the week before her time of the month, Casey didn't feel like dealing with people.

Tossing her black hair out of her face, she slouched on the table and rested her chin in her hand.

"Lo and behold," Jamie said, sitting the plastic tray filled with French fries on the table. "That guy behind the bar is Nicky. Cool huh? It's like going to McDonald's and meeting the real Ronald McDonald."

Casey gave the girl a withering look and popped a fry into her mouth.

"I doubt Ronald McDonald would look like he could snap someone in half," Casey said, her British accent clipping her words.

"He's gotta look tough probably 'cause of the bar," Jamie said. Her southern twang ran her consonants together, so that words like 'probably' ended up sounding like 'prolly'.

Casey shrugged and sighed. She eyed the four guys at the pool table and arched a brow at Jamie. "Wanna have a game?"

Jamie grinned back and nodded. "Def'nitely."

They strolled to the table and set their quarters down, signifying that they had next game. The blond lining up a shot flicked his eyes up briefly and twitched a brow, then returned his attention to the game.

"You ladies like pool?" he asked as the ball hit the pocket.

"Very much so," Casey said. She took out a twenty-dollar bill. "Wanna play us?"

The blond grinned and looked at the other two boys. The tall one smiled and shook his head.

"Not me, man. I'll sit it out. You and Pogue go for it."

He passed the stick to Jamie and gave her a little wink, then went and joined a couple at a nearby table.

Jamie followed him with her gaze and eyed the couple he was sitting with, a nice looking girl and a guy who looked like hell warmed over.

Black lashes fringed his blue eyes and dark circles smudged the smooth skin beneath them. He looked ready to drop, she thought as he propped his elbows on the table and rested his cheeks on his fists.

"Jamie?" Casey called.

Jamie jerked out of her observation and pasted a smile on her face, slapping her 20 next to Casey's. The guys followed suit. They played the game, kept up chatty conversation, and the girls lost. The rematch was double or nothing and when it was over Casey and Jamie each had an extra 40 to line their pockets.

"Nice," Pogue said with a self-depreciating grin as he handed over his other twenty.

"You guys hustled us," Reid said. "You should feel ashamed."

"We should," Casey agreed.

"But we don't," Jamie said with a beaming smile. "Tell you what, though. We'll buy you guys and your table a coke. How 'bout it?"

"Deal," Reid said. He led them to the table and offered them a seat.

"I'm Reid," he said. "This is Caleb, Sam, Tyler, and the one who looks like a criminal is Pogue," he finished, earning a fry in the face from Sam.

"My name's Jamie Russell. This is Casey."

"It's a…pleasure," Reid purred, shaking Casey's hand. Sam snorted and shook her head.

Casey smiled indulgently.

"You'll have to forgive Reid," Caleb said, stretching across the table to shake their hands. "We don't let him out of the basement much."

"'s alright," she said, accepting his warm grip. He smelled delicious, and Casey was suddenly very hungry.

Ignoring her growling stomach, Casey drank her soda and listened as the group of friends joked and laughed. Somehow they included her and Jamie into the conversation, and neither one of them felt uncomfortable.

Jamie kept her attention on Tyler most of the time. He laughed along with the others, but it wasn't as loud or as long. From the way Sam kept looking over at him, obviously Jamie wasn't the only one who knew something was off.

As if he felt her (blatantly) staring at him, Tyler turned his head and his gaze locked with hers. Jamie felt a jolt—and not figuratively. It was as if she had literally touched an open wire. The hair on the nape of her neck stood on end and she inhaled sharply. Tyler didn't act like he had felt anything, but then, he probably wasn't as sensitive as she was, Jamie reasoned.

Tyler smiled at her, and she felt like some teenybopper at a boy band concert.

"Are you ok?"

Sam's question drew her attention and she looked at Casey, who had a hand on her stomach and looked pale.

"Case?" Jamie asked.

"I'm fine," Casey said. "Just a few too many fries."

Jamie grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder as she stood.

"Thanks for the company," she told the others, "but I'd probably better get her home."

"Do you live in the dorms?"

"Dorms? Oh, at the private school. No, we're publics. Or, I am anyway. Casey graduated last year."

"I love an older woman," Reid said with a suave smile.

"Good. I'll give my Gran your number," Casey quipped.

"Beautiful and a quick wit," Reid mused. "Marry me now."

She smiled, unable to help herself. The blond was a hopeless flirt, and Casey couldn't resist being charmed.

"Maybe tomorrow," she replied. "Right now I'm going home."

"We'll walk you out," Tyler said, hauling Reid to his feet by the back of his t-shirt.

Jamie walked slowly to allow Casey and Reid to get ahead.

"Have you been in Ipswich long?" Tyler asked, trying to ignore the way her red hair lightly brushed the nape and side of her neck. He'd never seen a neck so enticing…

"Not really," Jamie answered, jerking him back to the conversation. "Casey and I move around a lot, so we're never really one place for very long."

"Are the two of you..." Tyler gave a soft laugh, and then shook his head. "Nevermind. Sorry."

"No, really. Continue," Jamie said, laughing. She took pity on him and shook her head. "We're roommates, that's it. We met a few years ago and have been nomads ever since. You look shocked."

"It's just that…I mean, you're kids. What about your families? They were ok with the two of you just taking off?"

"The last time Casey saw her family they were in London and they wanted nothing to do with her. As for me…well, the Bible Belt never really suited me. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for God and Jesus. It's just the people that I had problems with."

"So you guys are like gypsies," Tyler said. "That's cool."

"Sometimes," Jamie agreed.

They stepped out of Nicky's and into the warm night. Tyler stood next to Reid as Jamie and Casey got into their Sunfire.

Reid tapped lightly on the window and Casey rolled it down.

"You got any plans for lunch tomorrow?"

Casey looked thoughtful, and after a less-than-subtle nudge from Jamie, shook her head.

"You wanna get a bite?"

"Yeah," Casey said. _In more ways than one_, she thought, but nipped it quickly. "Sounds good. Meet me at that diner on 7th street," she said before rolling up her window.

As the car drove away, Reid tucked his hands in his pockets.

"Did you make that date or did she?" Tyler asked, looking puzzled.

"Dude…I have no idea."

-

-

It was four a.m.

If he could make it another three hours, then he'd be fine.

Tyler rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Again.

Reid had gone to bed a couple of hours ago, and now the blonde's head was sticking out from under a massive pile of comforters, his mouth slack and his eyes twitching with dreams.

The room was cold, but Tyler needed no blanket. He was stripped to his boxers, and it was the cold that was keeping him focused.

_Sleep…_

He couldn't. If he did, he would dream. Unlike his friend, he wouldn't be dreaming of leggy brunettes, which is all Reid ever dreamed about.

_Sleep…_

He wouldn't. He had to stay awake. Three more hours and he could get up for the day.

_Sleep…_

He shouldn't—but he did.

He was on the parapet of his house, staring off into the night sky. The wind blew cold on his skin. He could hear the sounds of a party rising from the lawn and looked down.

It was his sister's Sweet 16. It was weird, dreaming about the future. He saw Peg on the edge of the lawn, laughing with a boy. She was beautiful. On the other side of the lawn, his mother stood with Caleb's mother. They all looked happy. He scanned the gathered crowd for Caleb, Reid, and Pogue, but couldn't make them out in the throng of people.

"It is a sight you shall never see."

Tyler's blood froze as the voice of his father rang in his head.

He watched as a cloud, oily black and thick, wound its way across the lawn, covering the party and drowning out the sounds of laughter. The fog climbed the side of the house and crept over the parapet with long finger-like wisps.

Tyler backed away, feeling along the wall for the window. He closed his eyes, knowing that as soon as the fog took him, he would wake up and it would be over.

_Please, God…let it be over_.

The sound of cold laughter filled his head and lightning split the sky, making Tyler flinch. He squeezed his eyes tighter as the mist caressed his face.

"Tyler?"

His breath exploded from him as he whipped his head to the window. "Jamie, no!"

Jamie clambered out, waving her hands to disperse the fog around her face. "Gah, what's with the fog?"

She stood in front of him and put her hands on her hips. "Are you going to stay up here all night or are you coming downstairs to Peggy's party?"

"I…what?"

Tyler looked around. The fog was receding. The wind blew gently and the stars shone like diamonds in the black sky.

He looked at the pale hand that was stretched out to him and took it. Jamie smiled at him and walked him to the edge of the parapet.

"This place is beautiful," she said. The wind teased back her hair and caught on the skirt of her long green dress.

Tyler leaned against the banister and watched her. "You're beautiful," he said, surprising himself.

"Thank you." She looked over at him and smiled, then turned her attention back to the party below.

Tyler took her arm and turned her to face him. Slipping his hand around the side of her neck, he drew her close. His thumb brushed lightly over her jaw, and the pulse in her throat beat a quick rhythm against his palm.

"Tyler—"

"Shh," he whispered, touching her lips with his. "Dreaming about a kiss never hurt anybody."

He kissed her gently, his mouth light on hers. When her lips parted and a little sigh escaped, he deepened the kiss. The air around them sparked and sizzled, and the wind picked up. Once again, lightning split the sky, but Tyler paid no attention to it. Jamie pulled away and the wind caught her hair, blowing a few strands across her cheek.

Tyler reached up to brush it aside—

"Tyler, wake up. You're gonna be late for History class."

Tyler jerked awake and rubbed a hand over his face. He looked at the clock. Seven fifteen a.m. A small smile curved his lips as he remembered what he had been dreaming about. Or rather, _who_ he had been dreaming about.

"How'd you sleep?" Reid asked as he tied his shoes.

"Fine," Tyler said.

"Nightmares?"

"Not really."

"Cool. You had better truck to get in the shower. And don't forget about the graduation meeting at 1:30," Reid said before grabbing his bookbag and bolting out the door.


	3. Step By Step

**Step by Step**

_Step 5—don't you know that the time has arrived…_

Graduation went off without a hitch, and aside from the catcalls when one of the others' name was called, even Reid was relatively well behaved.

Sam wrapped her arms around Pogue and laughed as he dipped her back and kissed her.

"My very own delinquent," Pogue said as they straightened.

"Yeah, you should be flattered. I don't skip school for just anyone, you know."

"Unless you're possessed," Peg chimed in, slugging Tyler in the arm. "Congratulations, loser."

"Oh, Peggy, you always know how to make a guy feel special," Reid said, bending and patting the 13 year-old on the head.

The teen batted his hand away and left to join her friends in pursuit of some Spenser freshmen.

-

The boys' families had planned an extravagant party, and Pogue surprised Sam with a glamorous dress that he knew she wouldn't consider too froofy. Tyler waited beside Jamie's Sunfire outside the Ipswich public until she came out.

"Weeell. You look nice," she said with a smile as she eyed him. His white dress shirt was rolled up to the elbows and untucked, his blue tie loosened, and he held his jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Thanks," he said. "You too."

Jamie rolled her eyes and wished she were wearing something other than Casey's White Stripes t-shirt and denim shorts.

"I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to come to our party," Tyler said. "It's a parent thing and we have to be there or otherwise we'd do something else, but—"

"I'd really like to, Tyler, but I've got some stuff to do tonight."

"Oh. Ok, no worries then," Tyler said as he rounded the car and started to walk off. He stopped and looked back. "Uh, Reid said to ask Casey too. Party starts at six. You might want to mention that he hasn't shut up about their date the other day. She should give him a call back."

As she watched him walk away, she silently cursed, knowing that she was missing a great thing by not going to that party, but also realizing that it couldn't be helped.

-

-

_The beast stalked the bushes. Through the wispy clouds in the velvet sky above, the almost-full moon shone down like God's flashlight, pointing the path for it to take._

_It lifted its snout and sniffed the air; the scent of warm human flesh filled the night, and the monster smiled. Following the scent, it came out of the trees and stopped as it spotted its prey. _

_A woman was taking grocery bags from her trunk. She turned and saw the beast, and a gnarled hand clutched at her throat. Now the scent of terror perfumed the air, and again the beast smiled. Before the old woman could expel a scream, it was on her. Biting, tearing, feasting until the struggle stopped and the old lady's blood ran cold on the sidewalk._


	4. Awake

**Awake**

_What you see I can't see and maybe you'll think before you speak…_

Tyler had been sleeping. Night after night, the nightmare would start only to be banished by Jamie's presence.

He lay in bed and pondered the meaning behind it.

He had only seen her around town the past few days. She hadn't accepted the invitation to the graduation party yesterday, so there was no real reason for him to be dreaming about her. Unless maybe…

Tyler rolled onto his side and frowned. Maybe there was more to the little southern belle than she let on.

He blinked against sleep, not yet wanting to give up his train of thought, but his eyelids felt like lead. As his lashes fanned against his cheek and his breathing evened, he slipped into a comfortable sleep.

-

-

"What's with you?" Reid asked Tyler the next morning as they entered Bellise Bagels.

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked. "Nothing's wrong with me."

"You've looked like you wanted to kick a door down for the past two blocks," Reid said. "So what's up?"

"Must be the weather," Tyler said, shaking water drops from his hair. It wasn't really raining, but instead misting just enough to get things wet. Coupled with the heat, it was going to be a very dreary, humid day.

"Dude, what do you think about Jamie?" he asked suddenly.

Reid shrugged and picked up a cup of cream cheese. "She's hot. She's nice. Why?"

"Nothing," Tyler said, shaking his head. "Never mind."

"What?"

"I think she's a dream walker," Tyler said as they sat.

"Really?" Reid asked, taking a bite of his bagel. "What makes you say that?"

Tyler shrugged. "I've been dreaming about her. It's not normal, the things that happen."

"What sort of things?" Reid asked with a lascivious grin.

Tyler shook his head. "Nevermind, dude."

Reid sobered and took another bite of bagel. "No, tell me. Seriously," he said, holding up his hands in truce.

"She shows up out of nowhere, usually in the middle of the most intense part of my nightmare, and everything just…dissipates. Like she chases it away."

Reid nodded. "Anything bad happening because of it?"

"No," Tyler said.

"Do you think she's gonna try anything against us?" Reid asked.

"No, I don't think so," Tyler replied. "I don't get that vibe, anyway."

His friend shrugged. "Then don't worry about it, dude. Take it as a good thing but keep an eye open for anything weird. Oh, shit. There's Casey," Reid said, wiping his mouth and looking at Tyler for a face-check.

"You're good. Go get her, Cassanova."

Reid sauntered to the counter and leaned against it while Casey ordered. She looked at him and her shoulders slumped. "Hey."

"Wow, you really know how to boost a guy's ego," Reid said, somewhat miffed.

"Sorry," Casey said. "I've just not been feeling great this morning. Hey, how was your party?"

"Boring, as per norm, but _some_body slipped some vodka into the punch fountain and a lot of Ipswich high society got completely toasted. Therefore, it wasn't completely uninteresting. FYI, if you ever want a good laugh, crank up Rockafeller Skank in a room full of drunken snobs."

Casey laughed, despite herself. "You're terrible," she said.

"Every chance I get," Reid said with a crooked grin. "So, d'you hear about the murder? Bet you thought this was a sleepy little town, huh?"

"Yeah," Casey said distractedly. "How awful. That poor woman."

The clerk handed her the bag of bagels she ordered and she thanked him politely.

"So, how about I buy you dinner tonight?" Reid asked, tucking his tongue in his cheek. "Or vice versa, whichever suits your feminism."

Casey smiled. "Hmm…can I get a rain check? I've got to go. Jamie gets hostile if she doesn't eat breakfast. I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see ya," Reid called to her retreating back. He walked back to the table as Tyler was closing his phone.

"That was Pogue," he said. "How'd it go with Casey?"

"It didn't," Reid said. "What'd Pogue want this early?"

"We're supposed to go to his house as soon as we can. Sam's got a hinky feeling about that murder."

"Jesus, must be something big," Reid said, defeated. "Come on," he said, standing and snatching his bagel from the table. "Might as well go now."

-

-

"So what's the big breakthrough, Ms. Medium?" Caleb asked as he topped the stairs that led to Pogue's spacious attic.

"The woman who got killed? Her heart was gone," Sam said when they had all taken a seat. "Ripped from her chest. And, get this; her body had been chewed on."

Silence greeted her enthusiastic recount.

"Missing heart? Gnaw marks on the body? Classic signs of werewolf attack, hello?" she prodded.

"What?" Reid asked doubtfully.

"You're kidding, right? I mean, come on Sam," Tyler said.

"Babe, whatever psycho killed the woman could have taken her heart. And her body was out all night so it was probably just some kind of local animal that chewed on the corpse. It wasn't a werewolf," Pogue reasoned.

"Why are you so sure?" Sam asked.

"Because they don't exist," Pogue said with a skeptic laugh.

Sam's mouth opened and closed several times but nothing came out. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You don't believe in werewolves," she said, closing her eyes. They popped back open and she waved her hand in the air. "_How_ can _you_ not believe in werewolves?" she demanded.

"Um…"

"Well, it's..."

"Caleb?" Tyler passed the ball to the eldest.

Caleb raised his hands in a shrug. "Hey, I was a bodiless spirit-thing for a month, so I'm not ruling anything out."

"How'd you get this information, anyway? I didn't read anything about it in the newspaper," Pogue said to Sam.

"Baby, I talk to the spirit world. I called in a favor," she said with a shrug. "Facts were confirmed by both living and dead."

"You talked to the victim?" Reid asked.

"She was a little upset, but she gave me a quick review of what happened. I felt really bad for her. She was so scared."

The room was quiet for a long moment before Tyler stood and walked toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Caleb asked.

"Library," he said as he descended the stairs. "I'm going to see what I can dig up on werewolves."

"Werewolves," Reid said with a scoff. "Get's funnier every time I hear it."

Sam got up and headed for the stairs.

"And where are _you_ going?" Caleb asked, frowning. "Shouldn't we be planning or something? You're the one with the insight into this stuff."

"That's all well and good," Sam said. "But I'm not hunting werewolves in canvas shoes." She held up one Converse-clad foot. "I'm going to run home and change into something a bit sturdier. I suggest you guys do the same," she said to Reid and Caleb.

Everyone rose to leave, their footsteps echoing off the empty walls of the attic.

"We should meet back here around six. Think you'll be done with your school stuff by then?" Pogue asked Caleb.

The dark boy shrugged. "I guess I'll have to be."

"You have an interview today," Sam said apologetically. "I totally forgot."

"Werewolf murderer takes precedence," Caleb said with a small smile. "It's ok. If it goes long I'll claim an emergency and get a reschedule."

Sam waited by Pogue until Reid and Caleb drove down the long driveway, then she turned and kissed him on the cheek before heading toward her own car. Pogue grabbed her wrist.

"What aren't you saying?" he asked, threading their fingers together.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked innocently.

"Something has you seriously spooked and you're keeping it quiet."

"Babe, there's a werewolf in town ripping people's hearts out. That'd spook anyone," Sam said, but Pogue shook his head.

"It's something else…" He peered at her hard, his green eyes boring into hers with an unusual intensity. He cupped her chin and brushed his thumb along her jaw. "What did you see when you talked to those spirits?"

Something dark, Sam thought. One of her boys possibly lost to the Power forever.

"Nothing, Pogue," she said, stepping forward and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Don't worry so much. It'll give you wrinkles. See you tonight!" she called before he could reply.

-

-

Tyler sloshed through another puddle and swore to himself that if they found Mr. Werewolf, then he would personally take the bastard out. The sun was down, but there was still about 5000 humidity and the drizzle that had lasted most of the day had finally given way to full-on rain.

So now, he was wandering around the Ipswich walking trails in the dark, in the rain, looking for a supernatural monster.

His phone rang, John Fogerty's _Born on the Bayou_ alerting him that it was Sam.

"What's up, chick?"

"Have you seen anything out your way?"

"Nope," Tyler said. "I'm thinking it probably would have been smarter to wander around town instead of woods. I mean, if you're a big monster thing and you want to snatch someone, it isn't likely that—"

He broke off as a limb popped to his left. Something rustled to his right and he swallowed hard.

"Tyler?"

"Hang on a second, Sam," he whispered. His eyes blackened as he called on his Power, and he crept toward a wide oak tree.

He peered around the side of it just as a mass came bursting from the surrounding trees. Three things happened at once: Tyler jumped, slipping in the mud and falling onto his back. A burst of magic exploded from his hand in defense, but was diverted by his fall and flew into the canopy instead. And the bulk that came from the trees slammed into him with a squeak.

"Jamie?!"

Tyler was quick to power down as he looked at the girl sprawled on top of him. She was soaked and had twigs stuck in her hair. Her eyes were wide with fright and she had scratches on her cheeks, as if she had been running through the trees.

"Hey," Jamie said weakly. She cleared her throat and rolled off him, sitting in the muck without a thought about it.

Tyler heard squeaking and realized he had dropped his phone. He picked it up and spoke to Sam, explaining what had happened.

"You almost gave me a frickin' heart attack," Sam admonished. She huffed a breath. "Come back to town, Baby Boy. We'll regroup at Nicky's and see what we should do since the whole divided search thing was a bust."

"Alright," he said and clipped his phone shut. He looked at Jamie and stood up, reaching a hand out to her to help her to her feet.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"I was out walking Casey's dog and she ran away. Then it got dark. I dunno. I guess I got turned around. I'm not used to woods being so thick."

"Were you running?" Tyler asked, bringing his fingertips gently to one of the bleeding scratches.

She nodded. "Yeah. I heard Fogerty, which either meant there was someone out here who'd be able to help or someone who'd kill me. Either way I wouldn't be alone," she said with a small smile.

"You looked scared to death," Tyler commented. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, no, I'm fine," she assured him. "Just, you know, kinda jumping at shadows. What are you doing out here?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Tyler said with a laugh.

"Try me," she pressed.

"Tell you what," he said. "How about I drive you back to town, and we'll talk on the way. Deal?"

"Sure," she said, taking his outstretched hand.

Once they were in Tyler's SUV and on the highway, Jamie looked at him. "So?"

Tyler laughed and pressed his lips together. "I was…hunting."

"Hunting," Jamie said skeptically. "Uh-huh…without a gun?"

"Well, I…yeah."

"Wow, you Ipswich boys are hardcore," she teased. "The guys from where I used to live just sat in stands all day and waited for some poor, unsuspecting animal to walk by. What were you after, Great White Hunter?"

Tyler smiled and his blue eyes twinkled. "I don't know, exactly. But I like what I ended up with."

Jamie laughed.

"Should you call Casey and tell her that you're alright?"

She shook her head. "She wasn't feeling well earlier. I don't want to disturb her," she said, looking out the window and into the soggy night.


	5. Werewolves of London

**Werewolves of London**

_Little ol' lady got mutilated late last night; werewolves of London again…_

Reid assured himself that he was still doing his job. He was combing the streets of Ipswich looking for a big, hairy monster. And if his street combing happened to take him directly to Casey and Jamie's house, then it was totally coincidence.

He knocked on the door, but there was no answer except for a frantic yipping from beyond the door.

Reid swallowed his disappointment and pasted a sneer on his face. He didn't give a crap whether or not Casey was home. He had a line of chicks waiting for him and he could have his pick. They all practically worshiped him.

He sighed. That was probably the problem. God help him, he was bored with easy chicks.

He tucked his hands into his pockets and headed back to his car but stopped when he heard what sounded like a low moan. He cocked his head to the side and listened. There it was again!

Reid rounded the corner of the house and listened. The sound was coming from the storm cellar. A thick rusted chain encircled the handles and a large padlock secured it.

"Hello?" Reid asked softly.

There was another moan and a scuffling from inside the cellar. Reid jerked on the padlock but the chain held secure. Frowning in concentration, Reid called on his power to move the lock. Since he was still unused to the concentration of magic, the entire chain melted and hot metal ran down the front of the cellar doors.

"Hope that wasn't important," he muttered. He flipped the latch and opened one door tentatively. "Hello?" he called again.

"Reid?"

"Casey? Jesus Christ, what are you doing down here? Did Jamie lock you in here?"

He rushed down the steps and gripped her elbows to hold her up as her knees buckled and she moaned in pain.

"Leave," she bit out through the pain. "Go away, Reid."

"You need a hospital," he said, running a hand over her feverish forehead. He pulled his cell out and dialed Caleb's number as he ushered her to the steps.

"Hey Caleb—shit!" Reid closed his phone when Casey shoved away from him.

"Get away from me!" Casey shouted. She collapsed onto the floor on her knees and panted.

"Case," he said quietly, kneeling beside her. "What is it?"

She looked up at him then, her dark hair curtaining her face, but through it Reid could see her eyes. Her pupils had elongated and the irises were a burning gold, seeming to glow in the low light of the storm cellar.

Reid jumped away with a curse. "It's you. Jesus, you're a werewolf," he said.

"Reid, go," Casey wailed, holding her stomach. She fell onto her side and Reid watched, transfixed, as her skin began to ripple.

Reid ran up the stairs and used his power to seal the doors. Then he fell against the little blue fence and tried to catch his breath as he came to terms with the fact that the girl he might actually have had feelings for was a murdering monster.

-

-

Reid's cell phone rang and he answered it without enthusiasm. "Hey Caleb."

"Reid, man, where are you. We're supposed to be at Nicky's, remember?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way."

When he got to the hangout, he spotted Tyler's SUV and Sam's VW. He had little doubt that Caleb's mustang was around somewhere, and Pogue had probably ridden with Sam since she detested his motorcycle.

He entered the pub and was greeted by the familiar (and somewhat comforting) smell of cigarette smoke and burgers. He spotted the others at a table in the corner, and a cold fist clenched in his stomach as he spotted Jamie sitting next to Tyler.

His ice blue eyes locked on hers and he saw hers widen a fraction. No doubt her dreamwalking abilities made her sensitive to certain things, and there was no way that his distress wasn't pouring off of him in waves. As he made his way through the throng of people between him and the table, he saw her whisper something to Tyler and head toward the bathrooms. Reid doubted if they would see her again that night, but she'd have to wait until one of them opened the cellar door to get to Casey.

"What's with you?" Sam asked with a frown, jerking Reid's blank gaze away from the direction Jamie had disappeared.

"Casey's a werewolf," he said without preamble. He scrubbed a hand through his hair.

"What?" Pogue asked.

"I took care of it," Reid said. "She can't get out unless we let her out."

Everyone was silent. One shocked expression met another as they looked at each other.

"Where is she?" Tyler asked.

"I said it's under control," Reid said. "Your little dreamwalker has some explaining to do," he said.

"Whoa," Sam said as she looked at Tyler. "Jamie's a dreamwalker?"

"I wasn't completely sure," Tyler said. "But I think so, yeah. She's benevolent though."

"Her roommate is a werewolf," Pogue said. "She can't be completely benevolent if she knew what Casey was capable of."

Reid clenched his jaw. "We don't know that it was her," he defended. "I hung out with her. She wouldn't kill anybody. There's another werewolf around somewhere."

That was ridiculous and he knew it. There wasn't an overabundance of werewolves in Ipswich.

Pogue's expression told him that he thought the same thing, only it added a 'dumbass' to it.

"Where is she, Reid?" Caleb asked.

"We can't talk to her now anyway," Reid said. "She's kind of phased out. I'll take you tomorrow."

"They could be gone tomorrow," Pogue said roughly but Reid shook his head.

"She's locked down. There's no way she could get out."

"You used your Power to lock her in somewhere?" Sam asked, concerned.

"Not much, but yeah. I think Jamie ditched out the back," Reid said, looking toward the restrooms. "Not that it matters. She won't leave without Casey."

"I'll go check," Sam said.

"I'm getting her out of here," Pogue said quietly as soon as Sam was out of earshot.

"What are you talking about?" Caleb demanded.

"I'm tired of her being in danger because of us." He tossed his hair from his eyes and fidgeted with the straw in his drink. "I'm taking Sam and leaving Ipswich."

Tyler laughed. "Where do you think you're going to go?" he asked. "Everything you know is here. And Sam is just as likely to tell you to shove it as go with you, especially if you tell her it's because of us."

"I can't keep putting her in danger," Pogue said savagely.

"She knew what she was getting into when she started," Reid said, secretly panicking at the thought of one of them leaving. They were a unit.

Pogue looked at Caleb. "I just thought I'd go ahead and give you the heads up," he said as Sam rounded the corner.

"Nope," she said, plopping in her chair. "Jamie's nowhere to be seen." She gave Tyler an apologetic look.

"Ok, here's what we'll do," Caleb said. "Tonight, Tyler, if Jamie comes to you, tell her that you know what she does and get information out of her. Reid, you're sure Casey can't get out of where you left her?"

"I'm sure," Reid said.

Caleb nodded. "First thing tomorrow we meet at Sam's. Reid will take us to Casey and we'll deal with that. Then we'll discuss other…things," he said with a meaningful look at Pogue.


	6. Dead on Arrival

**Dead On Arrival**

_This rivalry goes so deep, between me and this loss of sleep over you…_

When Tyler finally fell asleep, he ignored the dark clouds on the horizon of his dream. He paced back and forth along the pebbled beach as cold water frothed at his feet. When the rain started, he scowled at the sky but kept up his pacing.

"Nice weather we're having," Jamie said, drawing his attention.

She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt that looked like something she would have borrowed from Casey. Her red hair whipped around in the angry wind, tangling and matting in the icy rain.

Tyler thought she was beautiful, and that annoyed him.

"I know what you do," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This," he said, indicating his dream. "I'm not just dreaming about you, Jamie."

She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "When I first met you, you were so sad. I could feel how frightened and exhausted you were. I could sense it. I just wanted to give you some peace. Then…"

"Then what?" he demanded.

"Then I just wanted to keep seeing you," she answered. "You were so different. You and your friends have your own secrets, your own gifts." She shrugged. "I just wanted to have a connection with someone who understood." She sighed and shook her head. "You thought you were just dreaming about me, so you let your guard down. I took advantage of that, and I'm sorry, but I would never hurt you. Any of you."

"What about Casey?" Tyler asked, striding toward her. His blue eyes were nearly purple with intensity and lightning streaked behind him.

"What about Casey?" Jamie hedged.

"You didn't think telling anyone that Casey was a werewolf was important? A woman is dead!" he shouted, his eyes firing and blackening.

"Casey wouldn't—you're wrong!" Jamie shouted back at him. The wind picked up and the rain came down in sheets, soaking both of them.

"Oh?" he asked. He was so close now that Jamie had to look up to meet his eyes. He glared down at her. "Why the secret then?"

"That was Casey's choice," Jamie said. She shivered against the cold. "We hadn't—out there, you and I hadn't talked about anything like this. I couldn't very well have walked up to you and said, 'My best friend is a werewolf.' And even if I could have, I wouldn't have. That's Casey's business. But Tyler, I swear to you, Casey didn't kill that woman."

He believed her. He saw her eyes and knew she was telling the truth.

Tyler blinked raindrops from his lashes. He watched her chin quiver from the cold and felt the instinctive need to ease her discomfort. Without an indication of his intent, he hauled her against him and lowered his mouth to hers. Jamie squeaked in surprise and reflexively pushed against his shoulders, but the next second, her fingers gripped the material of his t-shirt and held him close.

"Please don't hate me," Jamie whispered against his lips.

"I don't," Tyler said, resting his forehead on hers. "I _can't_."

Tyler woke suddenly. He breathed deep and threw off his blankets, scrabbling in the dark for his cell phone. He hit Caleb's speed-dial and waited for the answer.

"Uhmf?"

"Casey didn't kill the old woman," Tyler said.

Caleb grunted. "Tyler—"

"Look, trust me on this, ok? Reid was right. There's another werewolf somewhere around. It isn't Casey."

"Alright, I believe you if you say so," Caleb said sleepily. "Relax."

Tyler heard rattling and swishing sounds and inferred that his friend was getting out of bed. Caleb inhaled deeply and Tyler pictured him rubbing his hand over his face as he was prone to do when deep in thought.

"Did you call Reid?" Caleb asked.

"No. I thought I should call you first…"

"Ok, it'll be dawn in another hour. Call Reid. I'll call Pogue and we'll go to Jamie's. Do you have her number?"

Tyler frowned. "No. We haven't really hung out a lot except for the dream thing."

"Get Casey's number from Reid," Caleb said. "Give 'em a call and let them know we're on our way over to talk." He swore. "One day I'll wake up on my own with no pressing emergencies or supernatural bullshit."

Tyler chuckled. "Yeah, good luck with that."


	7. Hey Man, Nice Shot

**Hey Man, Nice Shot**

_Those who were right there got a new kind of fear…_

Caleb, Pogue, Reid, Tyler, and Sam climbed out of Tyler's SUV and filed around the house, following Reid. Tyler knocked on the door, letting Jamie know they were there. She looked uneasy and he took her hand, silently challenging anyone to make a deal about her role in this ordeal.

Reid led them to the storm cellar, grimacing when he saw the metal doors in the early morning sun. There was no visible separation between them; they were melted into a solid sheet.

"Jeez," Sam said, tapping the door with her fist.

"Move and I'll open it," Reid said.

"I'll do it," Tyler said. He shrugged when Reid looked at him questioningly. "I'm still magically pre-pube, remember?"

"Nice," Sam muttered with a shake of her head. Her friends had weird ways of looking at things.

Tyler's eyes blackened and he stretched out his hand. A soft shimmer in the air, like heat waves, lengthened from his fingertips to the metal storm door. With a whoosh, the door flipped to the side.

Reid stepped forward first and peered down the stairs. The six of them jumped simultaneously as Casey flew from the dark cellar. She pressed a hand to her head as she slouched against the pile of twisted metal.

"What the hell did you do?" she asked Reid with a scowl. Her voice was more of a croak, but there was little heat behind her words.

"You mean other than save your ass?" he countered.

"Where were you the other night?" Pogue asked.

She glared at him, her smudged eyeliner stark against the paleness of her face. Dark circles stained the area beneath her bloodshot eyes.

"You mean after I munched that old bird?"

"Casey," Jamie hissed. She tightened her grip on Tyler's hand.

"Wouldn't it be easier if it was over?" she asked Jamie without looking away from Pogue.

"No," the redhead whispered as tears filled her eyes.

"I killed that woman," she told Pogue. Her voice was strong even if her hands were shaking. "I took her heart and ate it."

"Casey!" Jamie shouted. "She didn't," she told Caleb. Caleb put a restraining hand on Pogue as he called up his power.

"I did," Casey insisted. "I broke out and killed her."

"Then locked yourself back up? I don't think so," Jamie said, letting go of Tyler's hand. She narrowed her eyes as she stepped toward her friend.

"Stop, Jamie."

"_You_ stop, Casey."

"God, will you just let him do it?" Casey yelled. "Please. I can't keep running."

"What are you running from?" Sam asked, stepping forward. She jerked her arm away from Pogue when he caught it and shot him a look that dared him to try it again. "Cool it, Parry," she bit out.

Pogue narrowed his eyes but stood aside and let his power ease down. Reid visibly relaxed.

"I know you didn't kill that woman," Sam said to Casey, drawing her attention.

"I did," Casey said, carefully keeping her face blank.

"You said you ate her heart," Sam said. "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?" Casey asked. "Isn't that enough?"

"So that's all you did?" Caleb asked, following Sam's train of thought.

"Yes. Jesus, what's with you people? I ate the woman's heart and left her bleeding on her lawn."

Sam shook her head apologetically. "Actually, you didn't. The one who killed her chewed on her for a while, then tore out her heart and left her bleeding on the sidewalk in front of her house. You just proved you _didn't_ kill her."

Casey's shoulders slumped as she looked at Jamie helplessly. "I just wanted you to finally be safe," she said. Jamie rushed to her and closed her arms around her, petting her hair and murmuring comfort.

"So…what exactly just happened?" Tyler whispered to Sam.

"She wanted Pogue to kill her," Caleb answered. "Why?" he asked Jamie.

It was Casey who answered. She wiped her eyes and stood.

"Jamie has been uprooting her life for years to accommodate me. I'm not exactly my _family's_ favorite member," she said, emphasizing the word with an acidic tone. "I disgraced them when I chose to leave. It's very archaic and sexist, the life of a werewolf in a pack. Women are supposed to find a mate and serve them," she said with a derisive snort. "There are only two or three packs left these days, but I was born into one. Joy of joys," she added wryly. "There was this guy in my pack—Dwight is his name. He followed me over. Crazy doesn't even begin to describe him."

"Psychotic douche-bag comes close, but not quite," Jamie added.

Casey nodded. "He's followed me since I left England. He was always just a couple of weeks behind. He attacked Jamie once but she fought him off and that's when she hooked up with me. Everywhere we go he kills one or two people, just to let us know he's stalking us. We disappear and he shows up later."

"How long has this been going on?" Reid asked, angry at the thought of the two girls being on the run from something so horrific.

"A couple of years. This is the first place we've ever met anyone who understood our…circumstances," Jamie said. "This area has a strong magick pulse. It's sort of like a beacon for supernatural things."

"Tell us something we don't know," Pogue said dryly. He tucked his hands in his jeans pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Hey, sorry about…you know. Before."

Casey nodded.

"So, are you ready to end this?" Reid asked.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean kicking this guy's ass and staying in one place for longer than a month," he said. "You owe me dinner, remember?"

"You're really hard up for a date, aren't you?"

Reid shrugged.

"I think it's time you let us help you. You could do with a break," Tyler said.

"We know places he likes to sleep. Dark, wooded areas. Secluded," Jamie said. She looked at Tyler with a sheepish smile. "That's kinda why I was at the park last night," she explained. "I didn't see any signs of him or pick up on any of his auras."

"You guys come in and we'll get this shit together over some coffee and breakfast," Casey said. "I want a shower."

Reid grinned. "I really like this girl," he told Sam as they started back to the house.

"You can definitely pick them," she said with a laugh.

"So this guy, Dwight, he's the one that's been killing people wherever you go?" Caleb asked when they had reassembled around the small kitchen table.

Casey nodded, still rubbing a towel over her wet hair. "Yeah. He's all about domination. Werewolves are greater beings than humans, we should have dominion, blah, blah, blah…Nobody thinks like that anymore. We all live relatively normal lives except for during the full moon."

"I have a question," Tyler said. "Do you, like, remember when you change? Like, what happens? Ow!" he hissed, pinning Sam with a scowl as she kicked him under the table. "What?"

Sam looked at him sternly but Casey laughed. "It's ok. Yes, I remember. We are essentially still ourselves, we just are more instinctive. Most weres hunt animals; only rogues kill people. Usually," she added. "There's no fur, no shape shifting, nothing quite so Hollywood. Our eyes change to allow for hunting, and our teeth. We have heightened senses, speed, and strength. That's what hurts like a bitch, when my muscles expand."

"Huh," was all Tyler could think of to say.

"So we need to find and end this Dwight guy," Pogue said. "Where have you looked?"

Jamie shrugged. "Just about everywhere. I was going to go out to Ravenhead forest tonight. What?" she asked Caleb as he shook his head.

"There's no cover in Ravenhead. We used to play there as kids."

"He'd want someplace thick and virtually impenetrable but close to people so he can hunt," Casey said.

"What about Heritage Point?" Reid asked. When everyone looked at him, he looked at Caleb. "It's dense, especially this time of year. And there's only a few people who go up there at a time."

"The old lady's house was on the south side of the Point," Pogue said, nodding.

Caleb looked at Casey. "Have you looked there?"

She shook her head. "What's Heritage Point?"

"Local make-out spot," Caleb said. "It's not easy to get to, so only the most dedicated go there."

"Sounds like a good spot to watch," Jamie said and Casey nodded.

-

-

Caleb looked out over the point and down at the lights of Ipswich. The night was warm and muggy, and the moon shone down full and fat. He sat in his tree, watching for any sign of the beast that stalked his town.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he answered it, his gaze never wavering from the young couple in the Buick below him.

"She's gone," Reid panted from the other end. "Casey got out. Tyler just called. He and Sam are on the way."

"Where are you?" Caleb whispered.

"On my way up to the point. I never remembered this climb being such a bitch before," Reid gasped. "Pogue's closing in behind you."

To Caleb's left, the underbrush rustled. He heard a low rumble and peered harder into the shadows. On the other side of the treeline was a blonde man with his eyes focused intently on the old Buick.

"He's here," Caleb said, ending the call.

He watched the man crouch and with an unnatural sound leap onto the car. His eyes glowed in the light of the moon and spit dribbled down his chin as he breathed through his mouth to accommodate his great sharp teeth. He jumped onto the hood and slammed against the windshield, growling and snapping. He punched through the hood and tore into the engine when the boy tried to start the car.

The lovers screamed in terror.

Caleb jumped from the tree and tackled Dwight and the two of them landed on the ground with a thud. Dwight regained his feet and tore at Caleb, catching his long fingernails across Caleb's torso, then spinning and slashing down his back.

Caleb towered over the man, but the werewolf had speed and savagery on his side.

"Caleb!" Reid called as he topped the hill.

"Get those people out of here, Reid," Caleb said quietly.

Dwight swung his gaze around to Reid and tensed to spring, but Caleb took advantage of his inattention and powered up, throwing himself against the beast. He caught a look of surprise in the animal's eyes as they once again rolled around on the ground. Dwight sprang away from Caleb and crouched, prepared to attack again.

Caleb swept his hands in a wide arc from side to side, gathering a powerful blast, and threw it at Dwight. He hit the werewolf again and again, faster and faster until sweat poured down his face and his t-shirt clung to him.

"Caleb! Enough!" Pogue called, rushing forward from the trees.

Reid ran to him and they both tried to call Caleb off. "You're using too much," Reid called, not bothering to cover the panic in his voice. Sam peeled up the trail in the SUV and Tyler leapt out without missing a beat.

"Caleb," he called calmly. "Caleb, ease up, man."

"Come on, Danvers. Don't be an asshole!" Reid called.

Their voices finally penetrated his mind and Caleb eased off, letting his arms drop to his sides. His breath was coming fast and his whole body throbbed. He clenched his eyes shut and willed the Power down.

He opened his eyes and looked at Dwight, who was even now trying to regain his feet. The werewolf was weak and blood poured from his nose and mouth, yet he still stood.

Pogue, Tyler, and Reid lined up beside Caleb and waited. Dwight crouched to spring.

The boys flinched as a gunshot sounded behind them. Dwight jerked to the side. Four more rapid shots had the beast's body flopping to his knees. Casey strode to the middle of the clearing, her eyes reflecting the moonlight and her pupils stretched long and wide. Without sparing the four witches a glance, she walked up to Dwight, whose face was a mask of challenge and surprise.

"Casey," Reid said. She turned and hissed at him, baring her dagger-like teeth. Reid put his hands up in surrender.

She cocked the gun and held it out, putting the last bullet between Dwight's hate-filled green eyes. Throwing the gun away from her, she glanced over her shoulder at the Sons, her eyes holding Reid's for a brief second, then launched herself over the side of the bluff.

Reid shot to the side in a panic, his breath leaving his body in a great whoosh as he saw Casey gracefully picking her way down the wall.

"Caleb!"

Pogue's call drew Reid's attention and he ran to his side as he struggled to catch Caleb's large frame when his knees buckled.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Tyler said. "Get him in the car."

"What do we do about all this?" Reid asked, jerking his head toward Dwight's body as he picked up Caleb's feet.

Pogue struggled with Caleb's broad shoulders. His eyes blacked and blue flame consumed the werewolf's corpse.

"Nice," Reid said.

Tyler held a hand out towards Casey's gun and the firearm melted into a silver puddle. He picked up the sheet of silver and tossed it into the back of his car as the other two boys finally got Caleb loaded.

**-**

**-**

"Ow! Jesus," Caleb hissed.

"Stop being such a baby," Sam reprimanded with a scowl.

She looked out the bathroom door and caught Tyler's eye, but he just gave her a quick shake of his head. Casey hadn't returned and Jamie was beginning to worry, but Tyler and the others were with her.

Caleb had regained consciousness on the way down from Heritage Point but had been relatively quiet since Sam had dragged him to the bathroom to take care of the deep gashes that had shredded his t-shirt and were still seeping blood.

"This one could do with some stitches," she said as she taped some gauze over one particularly nasty cut on his back. "Looks like he got his claws deeper here than in the front. Turn."

Caleb turned around and stared at the wall over Sam's head. "Did Pogue talk to you?"

Sam snorted. "About leaving, you mean? Yeah."

"It's not a bad idea, you know," Caleb said defensively. "He just wants what's best for you."

Sam poked at his cut with a little more force than necessary, making him wince.

"Sorry. And no, it isn't a bad idea. It's a retarded idea. I told him he was a frickin' idiot for even thinking about it, much less trying to convince me to _do_ it. Dumbass," she added in a mutter.

Caleb was silent, but his eyes had taken on a strange look.

"What's going through that head of yours, Caleb?" she asked conversationally.

He shrugged, wincing when the movement tugged on his wounds. "Nothing."

"Liar," she said as she took out another pack of gauze. Caleb's lips twitched and he sighed when she glared at him concernedly.

"I lost control up there," he said quietly. "I was so…consumed by it. I felt exhilarated, like everything began and ended with using my power. I didn't want to stop."

"But you did stop," Sam said quietly. She saw his mouth set stubbornly and cupped his cheek. "You did stop, Caleb," she repeated.

"I really scared myself, Sam," he admitted, meeting her eyes. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on her shoulder. "I don't want to be like my father. None of us do. But I'm afraid that we will anyway."

Sam wrapped her hand around the back of Caleb's neck and idly played with his hair.

"You think I'd let that happen?" she asked lightly.

Pogue stepped to the door as if to say something, but took in the scene and stopped. Sam gave a small shake of her head. He nodded in understanding and, with a look that showed that he shared every ounce of Caleb's fear and pain, left them in silence.

"I'm not going to let any of you go down that road," she said resolutely, thinking of her vision. "I promise."

One of her boys had nearly been lost to the Power, but they were strong—a single unit, a family—and he had found his way back to the surface.

Closing her eyes and tightening her hold on Caleb, her first link to the Sons of Ipswich, she prayed that she could keep that promise.


	8. EPILOGUEWhere Are You Going

**EPILOGUE**

**Where Are You Going?**

_I do know where you go is where I want to be…_

Casey dragged herself up the porch steps at sunrise. Her key rattled in the door and she jumped as the door jerked open and Jamie flung herself into her arms.

She wrapped her arms around her best friend—her sister, really—and gripped her tight.

"Don't take off like that again, ok?" Jamie said. "Promise?"

"I won't," Casey said. "I promise, from here on you can lock me in the cellar with the knowledge that I will definitely not be busting out."

They laughed, both struggling to hold back tears.

"Case," Jamie said quietly. "If you need to talk…"

"I know," Casey said with a smile.

Casey was surprised to see Reid and Tyler piled up in her living room. She looked questioningly at Jamie.

"They wouldn't leave," Jamie whispered with a smile. "Tyler wanted to make sure I was ok, and Reid…well, I think Reid wanted to make sure you were ok."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Isn't that just like a guy, to be so infuriatingly self-assured one minute and so considerate the next?"

"I think he likes you," Jamie said.

"I think I like him," Casey replied with a soft smile. She looked at the wiry body flung across her sofa.

"You should go get cleaned up," Jamie said, drawing her attention. "You look pretty skanky."

Casey laughed. "Gee, thanks," she said dryly.

She flounced to her room and Jamie walked to the recliner where Tyler lay sleeping. She lightly ran a hand across his forehead and he stirred, stretching and blinking his eyes.

"Hey," he mumbled sleepily.

"Hey," Jamie replied with a smile. "Casey's home. You guys are free to go if you want."

Tyler nodded but made little effort to get up. He moved over in the recliner and patted the empty spot.

"You wanna sit?" he asked, squinting up at Jamie.

Without a word, Jamie leaned down and placed her lips on his. Tyler cupped her face in his hands, holding her in place. She smiled into the kiss.

"My birthday's next week," Tyler said, breaking away. He looked deeply into Jamie's eyes.

"You're still afraid of your Power?" Jamie asked, remembering his nightmares. He nodded.

"Can you…will you help me? Stay grounded, I mean? I know it's weird and corny, but…I need someone to think about so I can tell myself not to use."

She smiled. "I give full permission for you to think about me," she said cheekily. She perched on the chair arm and lightly traced a finger down his jaw. "And I'll be here for you, to help you when you need it. But you're stronger than you give yourself credit for," she added.

Tyler took her wrist in his hand and gave it a tug, drawing her down to him. Keeping her locked close, he lowered his mouth to hers.

"Huh. So I am," he said with a grin. He leaned in for another kiss and was hit in the face by a pillow.

"Hey!" Jamie said with a laugh, looking at Reid.

"Sleeping!" Reid said irritably, rolling back over and snuggling into the couch. He smiled to himself as Tyler and Jamie whispered to each other.

**A/N: I'm working on the last part of the series. Hopefully the muses will continue being so generous and I will finish before too long. Thanks so much to those who stuck with me this far, and a special thanks to those who took time to review. (Wow, that sounds kinda like an Oscar speech. lol)**


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